Slaver
"Oh, a troublemaker? I bet you’d like me to unlock your shackles and give you a chance at my throat? Hah, that’s the spirit, lad! You’ll make a grand gladiator! Keep that anger and you might even live to see next year!" Advanced (ToC) In the past, slavery was quite common in the Old World. The practice is as old as Humanity, originating in the ancient empire of Khemri, and continued through the various civilisations that rose and fell in the intervening years, leading to the present day. In an evolving economy, slavery is simply impractical. In places like Bretonnia, serfs perform all the work and live lives little better than slaves, but in the Empire, men and women, whilst Peasants, are in charge of their own destinies. Of course, in some remote corners of the Old World, the practice flourishes. Araby is famed for its flesh markets as is Sartosa and even some dark corners in Marienburg. The Norsemen take slaves as well, either from surrendered adversaries or as plunder from one of their raids. Occasionally, they have reason to traffic with unsavoury flesh dealers, and some enterprising Norsemen take up the profession. Main Profile Secondary Profile Skills: Common Knowledge (Bretonnia, the Empire, or Tilea), Drive, Evaluate, Follow Trail, Haggle, Intimidate, Ride, Speak Language (any three), Torture Talents: Dealmaker, Menacing, Public Speaking, Seasoned Traveller or Streetwise, Specialist Weapon Group (Entangling) or Strike to Stun Trappings: Hand Weapon, Horse and Cart, Horse with Saddle and Harness, three Pairs of Manacles, 10 Yards of Rope, 1d10 Thralls Career Entries Marauder, Merchant, Reaver Career Exits Captain, Chaos Warrior (ToC), Outlaw Chief, Seaman The Dragon Fleet of Valbrand Fireblade The fierce Norse jarl, Valbrand Fireblade, leads a band of notorious Graeling slavers, who board their longships every summer and mercilessly raid the Old World from their northern strongholds in search of gold and thralls. These brutal Norsemen are without remorse or pity for their prey. Each of their longships bears the figure-head of a red dragon breathing flame, a symbol that has come to be feared throughout Kislev, the Empire and beyond. Their raids become more daring with each passing year, and no one seems able to repel them. The source of Valbrand’s might is his devotion to the daemon prince, Surthrond, rumoured to be a fearsome half-giant, half-dragon minion of Khorne. According to the rumours, Surthrond has granted Valbrand a flaming sword as a reward for his loyalty. Such is the jarl’s renown that whenever he requires crew for his raids, he simply has to visit any Graeling settlement and hold aloft his fiery blade to attract a flock of young warriors eager to set sail with him. The slavers sell their captives as thralls to neighbouring tribes. There are tales that they sometimes have dealings with the infamous Druchii of far-away Naggaroth. It is also rumoured that Valbrand sacrifices the choicest slaves before a great pyramid of burning skulls in the remote tundra of the Graeling lands. Turnabout is Fair Play One of the most fearsome slavers to ravage the northernmost shores of the Empire is Micah the Bloodied. Micah was himself once a slave, captured at a young age in a remote village on a small island in the Sea of Claws. Even in his youth he was impetuous and unruly. His slavemaster cut off his hand to try and break the boy’s will. Rather than subdue the lad, it only angered him. Micah picked up his severed hand, launched himself at the startled slaver, and choked the man with his dismembered hand. The rest of the slavers watched in disbelief, and Micah slew two more before they returned to their senses. Some of the captured slaves thought this was their opportunity to escape – but Micah would have none of it. Grabbing a lash, he whipped the slaves mercilessly until they eagerly sought refuge in their crowded pens. Micah quickly assumed the role of the slavemaster he had slain. The other slavers were intimidated by his ferocity and resilience to pain and fear, and brooked no argument with their new peer.